Device for opening cans



Jan. 19, 1937.

H. DAZEY DEVICE FOR OPENING CANS Filed March 27, 1935 Jib? atented Jan.19, 1937 EiTATES FAT? it? @FFi Application March 27, 1935, Serial No.13,213

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for opening cans that employ arip-strip whereby they may be opened. The invention includes a clampingmechanism for gripping the strip and for simultaneously winding thestrip from the can and revolving the latter.

It is an object of this device to provide a strip remover that willengage the strip and exert an evenly distributed tension, longitudinailyof the strip.

It is a further object to provide a strip remover that will be capableof engaging a very small por tion of the strip,such as may exist in casethe strip is broken, and remove the same.

Other objects and advantages will be set out in the descriptionhereinbelow taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of the device.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing, it! indicates a can closed by a rip-strip i that isnormally provided with a projecting tab portion at the end thereof to been-. gaged by a key or the like for the removal of strip H. The presentinvention is designed to obviate the use of such keys. It includes twochannelshaped handle members l3 and I l pivoted to gether at I 5.Cooperating rollers i5 and ii are mounted near pivot l 5 in the channelsof respective members it and M. These rollers may be knurled orotherwise provided with gripping surfaces, as desired. To one of theserollers, here shown as upper i8, is fastened a crank it by which rollerit may be rotated. The handle members are provided with depending wallsit, as shown in Fig. 2, these walls being set back from the pivotsupporting portion l5. By this means, a shoulder is provided that mayengage the top edge of a can. As willbe seen, the rollers l6 and l!engage against the bead on the can. If desired, an abutment 20 may beprovided on each channel, below its roller, to accommodate for thethickness of the beading on the can whereby to maintain these rollersvertical.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The free end of the rip-strip is bent out to project from the side ofthe can. The handles l3 and l i are parted, thereby parting rollers l6and Ill. The shoulder formed by the pivot supporting portion is engagedover the top edge of the can adjacent the rip-strip, with the free endor tab of the rip-strip between the rollers 96 and l '3. With one handon the handles 43 and It are squeezed together thereby tightly grippingthe rip-strip between the rollers l E and I1. With the (Cl. 22il52)other hand the crank it is then rotated, causing rotation of roller i6,drawing the rip-strip H on" the can, and at the same time revolvingroller Ill, and also the can.

Providing abutment 2t insures that the rollers will be substantiallyparallel to the axis of the can. Hence the tension on the winding stripwill be distributed evenly across it, and will be in the direction ofthe length of the strip. This means that the strip will be drawn oilsmoothly without any tearing action, and with the likelihood of breakingminimized.

Should the strip become broken, only a small projecting portion isnecessary for reinstating the operation, since such is large enough tobe grasped between the rollers. Even though the projecting portion isnarrow, the even distribution, and longitudinal direction of the tensionproduced by this can opener, will reduce to a minimum the chance ofbreaking it.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

l. A can opening device of the kind described, including a pair ofhandles, a pair of rollers, one roller on each handle, said handlesbeing pivoted together, whereby said rollers may be brought together ormoved apart, and means to rotate at least one or" said rollers.

2. A device or" the kind described, including a pair of pivoted handles,a roller on each handle, and said rollers being adapted to be broughttogether or moved apart, means to support said rollers adjacent the sideof a container, and means to rotate at least one of said rollers.

3. A device of the kind described, including a 3 pair of pivotedelements, a roller on each element, said rollers being adapted to bebrought together upon movement of said pivoted elements, meansoverhanging the top of 2. container, and a crank connected with one ofsaid rollers whereby said roller may be rotated.

4. A device for opening a container having a rip-strip for opening thesame, including support means for engaging a. container, a pair ofrollers on the support to engage the rip-strip, means to force therollers together to engage the rip strip between them, and means torotate at least one of the rollers whereby to remove the rip-strip.

5. A device for opening containers having ripstrip for opening the same,including support means for engaging a container, a pair of rollers onthe support to engage the rip-strip of the container, means on thesupport to space one end of the rollers from the can, and means torotate at least one of the rollers to remove the rip-strip.

6. A device of the kind described, having a pair of pivoted,channel-shaped handle members, a roller mounted in each handle member,said roller being spaced from the pivot of the handles, and said channelportions being cut away to said rollers, whereby to provide a shoulderportion, and means to rotate one of said rollers.

'7. A device of the kind described, including two elements, each havinga top wall portion and a side wall portion, pivot means uniting said topwall portions of said elements, rollers, one roller being mounted ineach element and spaced from said pivot, and both of said side Wallportions being cut away back at least to said rollers, whereby to form ashoulder defined by said top wall remaining, and said rollers, and meansfor rotating at least one of said rollers.

8. A device for removing rip strips from cans, including a pair ofmembers each having an extension at one end thereof, means movablyjoining said members at said extensions, a roller on each member spacedinwardly from said extension, said rollers being adapted to be broughttogether by movement of said members and to engage the rip striptherebetween, and means to rotate one of said rollers.

9. A device for removing rip strips from cans including a pair ofopposed rollers, a member supporting each roller, said members beingadapted to be brought together to engage the rip strip between therollers, and means to rotate one of said rollers to remove the ripstrip.

HARRY L. DAZEY.

